Automatic car-stopping device.



J. S. STRICKLAND & C. H. BEACH.

AUTOMATIC GAR STOPPING DEVICE.

APPLICATION r1LBDJUNE2e,19o9.

Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

3 SHBBTS-SHEET 1.

Gnome J. S. STRICKLAND & C. H. BEACH. AUTOMATIC CAR STOPPING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26, 1909.

1,079,451. Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. S. STRIGKLAND & C. H. BEACH. AUTOMATIC GAR STOPPING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 26, 1909.

1 ,079,45 1 Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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nnirnn STATES WENT enrich.

UGHN S. STRICKLAND AN'DA CHARLES H. BEACH, GF TA COMA, 1TASHINGTON.

AUTOI'IALC CARfSTOPPING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

Application filed June 26, 1909. Serial No. 5134,546.

United States of America, residing at Ta.

corna, in the. county of Pierce and State of r1Washington, have invent-ed certain new and useful Improvements in Autoniatic-Car- 'Stopping Devices, of which the following 'is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to devices for automatically stopping cars and has special reference to electric street and interurban cars.

The object of our invention iste provide a device, to be used in connect-ion with the automatic electric signal lights at present in use. which will prevent a car from entering a block against a signal, when the block is occupied by an approaching'car; which automatically applies the brakes to the car without any action on the part ofthe motornian; which cuts out the morto-rmans brakev cof-.trolling apparatus; and in which it is o necessary for the motorman to make a special movement in order to release the brakes of his car if they have been applied by this emergency apparatus.

.Ve attain these and other objects by the devices and mechanisms illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichltigure l is a diagrammatic view of the two ends of a block equipped with a signal iight and with our lautomatic stopping device; Fig. 2 is a partial sect-ion ot' the upper und of a trolley pole; Fig. 3 is a vertical "1 tndinal sect-ion of the magnetic contact 'with its cover removed; Fig. 4 is a Fig. 5 is an elevation of the ci, the front end of a car equipped automatic stopping device; and a. vertical section of the magnetic trolling device. :i nnerals of reference refer to arts throughout the several views. ation is intended to be used in h an electric signal apparatus is now commonly used on single trolley lines. einen is controlled by the autoof the signal apparatus to inected, taking its actuating v from the signal apparatus, pparatus being indicated in not otherwise illustrated.

to Fig. l, the system of block signals therein illustrated is one in which the passing of the trolley pole of a car over a controlling switch, throws the switch and energizes one of wires which indicate a white lightin the adjacent signal and a red light in the signal atthe other ends of the block. It is immaterial, so far as this invention is concerned, how the said switch is thrown, the only essential being that the signal circuit is energized Yat the dist-ant end of the block.

In the drawing, the trolley wire 1 is shown broken so as to indicate the two ends of the block and a car has just entered the block from the right, as indicated by the trolley pole 2. This has thrown the switch 3, at the right-hand end of the block, so as to energize the wire 4, leading to the white lampv 5 in the adjacent signal, and from thence to the other end of the block. Now the present practice has always been to connect this wire 4 directly to the red lamp 6 at the other end of the block, but we lead it first beyond the end of the block to the magnet 7 of the contact device and thence to the red lam 6 and to the return or ground wire. A simi ar wire 14 leads from the similar left-hand switch 13, through the left white lamp l5 to the magnet of the right-hand contact device 17, and then through the right red lamp 16 to the ground. This latter circuit is energized when a car, having trolley pole 12, enters the block from the left. The first above circuit is indicated in full lines in the drawings while the latter circuit is indicated in dotted lines therein.

The magnetic contact device comprises an electromagnet 7, energized as above described, and mounted on a wooden base 8, to which the guy wires 9 are secured. On the other end of the base 8 are secured the two metal brackets or arms 10 to which the trolley wire 1 is fastened, thus supporting the base 8 by the action of the trolley wire and the guy wires. A curved Contact strip 11 is secured to the outer edge of the wooden carrier 1S which is supported and guided by the side rods 19, on each side or" the magnet 7, sliding in suitable supports on the base 8. The strip 11 is constantly energized by a wire connecting it to the arms 10 and thus to the trolley wire 1. The compound rod, `formed of the iron rod 21 and the brass rod 22, placed end to end with the brass partwithin the magnetwhen it is not energized while the iron part is drawn therethe center of the electromagnet 7.

` parts are so arranged that when the magnet 7 is energized the contact strip 11 is forced outward from the base 8, by the attraction exerted on the iron rod 21, into a position in which it Will be touched by the trolley'pole of any car which attempts to pass i-t; A cover 37 is fitted on the contact device to protect it from exposure to the elements.

Referring now principally to Figs. 2 and 5, it will be observed that the trolley pole 12 has an insulated metallic ring 24 around ,its upper end in such position thereon that it will be engaged by the cont-act strip l1 as the pole asses it if the magnet 7 is energized. Tiiis insulated ring 24 is connected by an insulated Wire, indicated at 25, to the brake-controlling device in the motormans vestibule. I

Referring now to Figs. 5 and 6, the brakecontrolling device is mounted in the pipe 26 which leads from the brake valve 27, by means of which the motorman controls the car. The air is supplied to the brake valve 27 through the central pipe 28. The emergency threeeway valve 29 is located at the Junction of the air pipe 26 with the bypass pipe 30 which joins the pipes 26 and 28.

This valve 29 is adapted, normally, to close the pipe 30 butto allowefree passage inthe brake pipe 26; but when turned by the emergency apparatus, it opens-the pipe 30,

thus connecting the pipe 28 to the lower part of the pipe 26, and closing off the upv per part of said pipe 26 and the brake valve 27. 'It is evident then that when in its normal position (Figf 6) the air passes up the pipe 28 to the brake valve 27 and from thence it passes down the pipe 26 through the valve 29 to the brakes; and that when it is turned at right-angles to its normal position, the air passes up pipe 28, through connecting pipe 30, through valve 29 and the lower part of the pi e 26 to the brakes. The

j valve 29 is contro led by the handle 31,

connected by the link 32 to the iron bar or plunger 33 of the electromagnet 34. The

said parts 31, 32 and 33 being arranged so that when the valve 29 is 1n its normal position they are in position to be acted on through the agency of the magnet 34; and that when it is energized the bar 33 Will be drawn down thus turning the valve 29 into the emergency position. The action of the `magnet 34 is only momentary but is suiiithe controller box yor in any desired manner.

Having described our invention, what We claim is:

In an automatic car stopping device, the combination with an electric signal circuit,

and a car propelling circuit, of a magneti-- cally operated contact device, the magnet portion of said contact device being Within said signal circuit and controlled thereby and the Contact portion adapted tobe moved into the path of a car, that po-rtion of the contact device which is adapted to be moved into the path of the car being electrically connected with the car propelling current, an insulated contact device'mounted on said car and adapted to touch said Contact device as it moves therepast, when said contact is in said path, a train controlling device, and electromagnetic means in electrical connection with the contact device on the car and Within the car propelling circuit when con-Y tact is made with the magnetically operated contact device, said electromagnetic# means adapted to operate the train controlling device.

In testimony whereof We'affx our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

Witnesses NATHAN BLooM,

OLGA WING.

Copies of this patent may ne obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

